Launch Complex 5/6 Spin Test Facility (Part I): Juno and Explorer I

Article

“Launch Complex 5/6 Spin Test Facility (Part I): Juno and Explorer I” by James Behling
Published in Quest Volume: 29 #2 (2022)

Abstract

The Launch Complex 5/6 Spin Test Facility is a forgotten facility with a huge historical significance. It was the prelaunch processing facility for Jupiter-C and Juno upper stage packages, and early Explorer satellites including Explorer I. There is very little information on it in standard sources. Even official Air Force historical documentation on the facility overlooked the Juno and Explorer connection. Several unrelated sources provided hints and deep searches in the NASA Technical Reports Server and YouTube provided clues. This led to requests to the Air Force Space and Missile Museum and JPL archives, which provided an abundance of photographs.

Citation

Behling, James. “Launch Complex 5/6 Spin Test Facility (Part I): Juno and Explorer I.” Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly 29, no. 2 (2022): 13-22.